Showcase and sham construction



Nov. 23, 1937, l w. KENNEDY SHOWCASE AND SHAM CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 12, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l mvENToR LEO W.KENNEDY Wm /W ATTORNEYS NW. 23, 137. i L. W. KENNEDY fi fi SHOWCASE AND SHAM CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 12, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LEOW.KENNEDY ATTORNEY s NW, 23, 193?. L. w. KENNEDY SHOWCASE AND SHAM CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 12, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY s Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to show cases and refers more particularly to show cases of the type adapted to receive sharns.

The usual procedure in arranging a show case display with a sham is to place the latter within the show case and fill the space around the sides of the sham with the product to be illustrated, before depositing the latter on the top wall or tray of the sham. The foregoing is especially true in cases where it is desired to arrange the product on the top wall or tray of the sham in accordance with a predetermined design, and this procedure has been found extremely difficult with the types of shams available in the past, due to the relatively small space existing between the top wall of the sham and corresponding wall of the case. It is, therefore, one of the principal features of this invention to materially simplify and expedite the procedure of arranging the display by providing an improved sham construction having a removable top wall fashioned to form a tray.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a sham having a removable top wall or tray supported at the rear end of the show case structure in such a manner as to permit the latter end to be lowered sufficiently to appreciably increase the operating clearance within the case above the tray, and thereby materially expedite depositing or rearranging the products to be displayed on the tray without removing the latter.

Another advantageous feature of this invention is attributed to the novel manner in which the tray or top wall of the sham is removably supported in the case, rendering it possible to expediently insert or remove the tray without disturbing the display thereon.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a sham having separable top, end and front walls capable of being readily assembled within or removed from the show case. This latter feature materially enhances the commercial value of the construction, since it provides for simplifying and expediting the procedure of arranging the display in the show case.

In addition to the foregoing, this invention contemplates a show case construction having doors of improved design supported in such a manner upon the case as to permit the same to be readily assembled with and removed from the case.

A still further advantageous feature of this invention is attributed to the simplicity of construction of the top wall or tray of the sham,

permitting the latter to be inexpensively manufactured. This latter feature as well as the foregoing objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved show case featuring a sham constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the case taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of my improved sham construction showing the .top wall or tray in dotted lines and in a position found most convenient when it is desired to arrange the display on the tray without removing the latter from the case; p i

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken through the tray or top wall of the sham illustrating the novel construction of the latter;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view featuring the relatively simple manner in which the doors of the case are supported. i

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that there is illustrated in the several figures, a show case construction l0 having a bottom. wall H and having transparent end, top and front walls l2, l3, and M respectively. The aforesaid walls of the show case are supported in assembled relation to each other, and for accomplishing this result any one of the various accepted systems may be employed. As is usually the case when various different types of prod: nets are displayed in a single show case, the interior of the latter is divided into a plurality of compartments I5 by means of vertically extending transparent partitions 16. The partitions are removably secured within the case by means of clips ll engaging the rear end portions of the partitions and carried by a frame member I8 extending for substantially the full length of. the case at the rear side of the latter. The frame member is supported in an elevated position at the rear side of the case by means of stanchions l9, and in addition to carrying the clips I! forms a rest for the rear marginal edge portion of the transparent top wall l3 of the case.

The rear side of the show case is open to provide access: into the several compartments and suitable shams 20 may be assembled in each compertinent through the opening at the rear side 7 of the case. Each of the shams 29 is provided with a sheet metal front wall 2| and a top wall 22 fashioned, in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described, to form a tray for receiving the product to be displayed. The shams in the end compartments of the case differ from the remaining shams in thatthe same are provided with Sheet metal end walls 23 adapted to be spaced laterally inwardly from the corresponding end walls of the case to provide for depositing the product to be displayed between these walls.

All of the aforesaid walls of the sham are separate from each other, and one of the principal features of this invention resides in the novel means for supporting the walls inassembled relation within the case. 23 of the end shams are removably supported within the case by means of angle members 24 having upright flanges 25 fixedly secured to the end walls 23 and having flanges 26 extending inwardly from the lower edges of the walls 23 for sliding engagement within suitable straps 21 secured to the bottom wall II of the show case. The front walls 2| of the shams are also removably secured in place by means of angle members 28 having upright flanges 29 fixedly secured to the inner surfaces of the front walls 2| and having flanges 30 extending inwardly from the lower marginal edges of the walls 2| for sliding engagement within suitable straps 3| rigidly secured to the bottom wall of the show case. It will be observed from Figures 2 and 3 that the straps previously set forth are so positioned upon the bottom wall II of the show case as to provide a space for the product to be displayed between the walls of the sham and the corresponding walls of the show case.

The top walls 22 of the shams 20 are supported within the show case in such a manner to per mit the same to be inserted into and removed from the case independent of the front and end walls of the shams. As shown in Figure 2, the upper extremities of the flanges 29 of the angle members 28 are bent inwardly with respect to the front walls 2| of the shams to form rests 32 upon which the front sides of the trays 22 are -seated, and the rear sides of the trays are suspended from the frame member 8 by means of suitable fastener elements 33. As will be observed from Figure 2, the frame member l8 comprises a strip of inverted channel-shaped cross section and the upper ends of the fastener elements 33 are looped through suitable openings 34 formed in the front leg 35 of the channel. The lower ends of the fastener elements are provided with hooked portions 36 for engaging the bottom marginal edges of the rear sides of the trays. From the above construction, it will be observed that the trays 22 may be readliy assembled by merely engaging the bottom marginal edges of the front sides of the trays with the seats 32 and by merely hooking the fasteners 33 around the bottom marginal edges of the trays at the rear sides thereof. The trays, of course, may be just as easily removed from the show case by lifting the rear sides of the trays a sufficient distance to clear the hook portions 38 of the fasteners 33 and permitting the trays to assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. During movement of the trays from the full line to 'the dotted line position, shown in Figure 2, the 'seats 32 for the front sides of the trays act as fulcrums and by merely lifting the latter sides of the trays from engagement with. the seats.

In detail, the end wallsv of the show case.

the trays may be withdrawn from the show case through the open rear side of the latter.

With a sham constructed in accordance with the foregoing, the product to be displayed may be deposited in the space between the side walls of the sham and adjacent walls of the case prior to assembling the tray forming the top wall 22 of the sham. This method of procedure in arranging the display is advantageous, not only because it affords maximum accessibility to the space between the sides of the sham and adjacent sides of the show case, but also because itrenders it possible to arrange the display on the tray at a point remote from the show case. In other words, my improved sham construction renders it unnecessary to operate in the relatively restricted space normally provided between the top wall of the sham and the corresponding wall Moreover, with my improved sham, it is possible to conveniently form or rearrange the display on the tray without removing the latter from the show case. As will be observed from Figure 2, the display on the tray may be rendered accessible through the open rear side of the show case by merely unhooking the fastener elements 33 from the rear end of the tray and by lowering the latter end to the position thereof shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2.

In addition to the foregoing, the present invention contemplates an improved construction of closure for the open rear side of the show case. In the present instance, the closure comprises a pair of slidable doors of the type, wherein one door slides over the other door. In the drawings, the inner door is designated by the reference character 49 and the outer door is indicated by the numeral 4|. Both of the doors are provided with a frame extending around the marginal edges thereof, and are supported for sliding movement at the upper sides thereof upon the frame member I8. As shown in Figure 2, a strip 42 of channel-shaped cross section is secured to the top edge of the inner door with the channel opening forwardly, permitting the edge of the upper leg 43 of the channel to slidably engage a seat 44 formed by bending the lower extremity of the rear leg of the channehshaped strip I8 rearwardly. The upper edge of the outer door is also slidably supported on the seat 44 by means of a strip 45 substantially Z-shaped in cross section havingthe rearwardly extending flange 46 secured to the top edge of the rear door 4|, and having the forwardly extending flange 41 engaging the seat 44. The width of the flange 4'! is so determined with respect to the width of the leg 43 as to provide a slight clearance between the two doors.

The bottom edges of the doors are slidably supported on a strip 48 secured to the floor H of the show case with the channel opening upwardly. In detail, suitable angle strips 49 are secured to the bottom edges of each door with the flanges 50 extending downwardly for sliding engagement with the legs of the channel-shaped strip 48. The portions of the flanges 50 at opposite ends thereof are bifurcated by striking portions 5| of the flanges laterally outwardly from the remaining portions thereof, in the manner clearly shown in Figure 2. As will be observed from this latter figure, the bifurcated portions of the angle strips carried by the inner door slidably receive the upper edge of the front leg of the channel strip I8, and the bifurcated portions of the angle strips on the rear door slidably receive the upper portion of the rear leg of the channel-shaped strip 48. With this construction, it will be observed that the doors may be readily assembled by merely engaging the bifurcated portions of the angle strips with the respective legs of the channel 48, whereupon the flanges 43 and 41 will automatically engage the seat 44. It will, of course, be apparent from Figure 2 of the drawings that the doors may be readily removed by merely lifting the same to disengage the bifurcated portions of the strips from the channel-shaped strip 48.

It has been previously stated that one of the principal features of the present invention resides in the particular construction of the trays forming the top walls of the shame. In fashioning one of the trays a strip of sheet metal of predetermined length is subjected to suitable forming operations to fashion a bead 6| at the upper edge thereof, and to fashion an open returnbent portion 62 at the lower edge thereof. The return-bent portion 62 is located upon the side of the strip opposite that side upon which the bead is formed. After the strip has been formed in the above manner, the same is bent to form the side walls of the tray. In fashioning the strip 60 to form the side walls of the tray the open return-bent portion is located within the confines of the walls and is adapted to receive the depending marginal flanges 63 formed on the bottom wall 64 of the tray. Subsequent to assembling the bottom wall of the tray in the manner set forth, the free edges of the strip 60 are positioned in abutting relation and portions of the strip adjacent the latter edges are riveted or otherwise secured to the bottom wall 64 in the manner designated by the reference character 65. After the securing operation, the abutting edges of the strip may be soldered or otherwise secured together to form the joint indicated by the reference character 66.

Thus from the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved sham construction rendering it possible to appreciably expedite the procedure of arranging a display within the show case. It will also be apparent that my improved sham construction may be economically manufactured and assembled with facility within the show case. In addition, it will be noted that I have provided an improved closure for the open side of the case comprising slidable doors capable of being readily assembled with or removed from the case.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a show case construction having a floor section and having a top wall section, a sham having a front wall supported upon the floor section and having a top wall, means carried by the front wall for removably supporting the front side of the top wall of the sham in predetermined relationship to the top wall of the case and providing a fulcrum permitting the rear side of the top wall of the sham to be moved from a position adjacent the floor section to a position adjacent the top section of the case, and means for removably supporting the rear side of the top wall of the sham in the latter position thereof.

2. In a show case construction open at the rear side and having a top wall, a longitudinally extending frame at the upper end of the open side forming a seat for the rear edge portion of the top wall, a sham having a front wall provided with an inwardly extending portion and having a top wall seated at its front side upon the inwardly extending portion, and means for suspending the rear side of the top wall of the sham from the frame member.

3. In a show case construction having a frame member at the rear side thereof and at the top of the same, a sham having a front wall and a top wall, means removably supporting the front side of the top wall upon the front wall, and means for suspending the rear side of the sham from the frame member including a fastener element having the upper end pivotally connected to the frame member and having a hook at the lower end forming a seat for the lower marginal edge of the rear side of said top wall.

4. In a show case construction having a floor section, a sham having a front wall and a top wall, means removably supporting the front wall from the floor section including an angle member secured to the front wall with one flange extending laterally outwardly from the lower edge of said wall for sliding engagement within a strap carried by the bottom wall of the case and having the upper extremity of the other flange extending laterally from the front wall providing a seat for the front edge of the top wall, and means removably supporting the rear side of the top wall.

5. In a show case construction having a floor section, a sham having a front wall, means removably securing the front wall to the floor section including a bracket having a portion at the upper end-"thereof extending laterally from the front wall of the sham, a top wall for the sham having the front side thereof resting upon the laterally extending portion of the bracket, and means removably supporting the rear side of the top wall from the show case structure.

6. In a show case construction having a floor section, a sham having a front wall, means removably securing the front wall of the sham to the floor section including a bracket secured to the rear side of the front wall, said bracket having aportion at the lower end seated upon the botton'i wall and having a portion at the forward end extending laterally rearwardly from the front wall of the sham, a top wall for said sham having the front side thereof fulcrumed upon the laterally rearwardly extending portion of the bracket, and means removably suspending the rear side of the top wall from the show case structure.

7. In a show case construction having a floor section, a sham having a front wall supported upon the floor section and having a top wall extending rearwardly from the upper end of the front wall, means carried by the front wall for removably supporting the front side of the top wall of the sham and providing a fulcrum for the top wall permitting the rear side of the latter to be moved from a position adjacent the floor section to a position spaced substantially above the floor section, and means for removably supporting the rear side of the top wall of the sham from the show case structure and in the raised position aforesaid.

LEO W. KENNEDY. 

